Police vehicles have become a familiar sight to virtually all people throughout the United States and other industrialized nations. Police cars in particular have become extremely familiar and visible as they patrol various areas throughout the country. In addition to the typical police car, other agencies having somewhat similar functions and needs often maintain police car type vehicles in a patrol function. Other emergency vehicles such as firefighting vehicles and equipment as well as ambulances utilize many similar systems to those employed in typical police cars. In recent years, a number of developing technologies have been employed in police-type vehicles which have greatly increased the complexity and sophistication of these familiar vehicles. The systems have evolved from the simple roof mounted flashing light and siren configurations of years past into complex, often computer equipped multifunction type systems. While the appearances and equipment utilized in such patrol vehicles varies substantially between different police agencies and other users, all generally employ an equipment set which includes an elongated light bar secured to the vehicle roof and supporting a plurality of flashing and rotating light apparatus. Such vehicles continue to utilize sirens as well as external high powered speakers for communication with persons outside the car and additional lights placed at the front end rear of the vehicle including sets of red and amber lights. In addition, the conventional vehicle lights themselves such as headlights and taillights are often tied into the emergency systems. Many such police cars utilize computer apparatus and data link equipment to further enhance the information available to the police officer. The emergency equipment set also includes a radio for communication and mechanical configurations and barriers within the vehicle for physically securing occupants in the rear portion of the vehicle. Many police are equipped with a shotgun or similar weapon which is secured within the front seat area of the vehicle by a gun lock apparatus. The latter maintains the security of the gun until needed. In recent years, a growing trend in police car equipment has been the addition of video camera and video recording equipment intended to be operated during events and occurrences.
In practice, police agencies and other similar agencies produce patrol cars by converting more or less standard automobiles to patrol cars in a process best described as custom installation of the emergency and police equipment. This process has proven to be time consuming and costly. In addition, the creation of custom installations for each patrol car renders the maintenance process more costly and difficult thereby increasing operating costs of the police department or agency.
In the typical use of a police or patrol car, the officer or officers spend extensive periods of time moving about in a patrol or observation function and periodically increasing the intensity of activity in various events such as pursuit or responding to different types of calls and situations. In many police agencies, patrol cars are operated by a single police officer relying extensively upon backup from other nearby officers as they respond to a pursuit or other event. The operation of patrol cars with a single police officer results in a situation in which the patrol vehicle is likely to be left unattended as the officer moves from the vehicle to respond to the situation or event. It is not unusual for police officers to encounter a need to leave the vehicle unattended during times when passengers in custody are being confined within the rear seat security area. Also, canine units which regularly utilize police dogs often need to leave the police dog within the vehicle interior while conducting activities external to the vehicle. In addition, notwithstanding passengers or police dogs being left within the vehicle interior, police officers frequently leave the vehicle with the various emergency lights flashing to provide warning to other drivers in the area of the need for caution. Unfortunately, a malfunction of the air conditioning system or an engine stall under such circumstances can have disastrous consequences. In hot weather, passengers or police dogs trapped within a malfunctioning vehicle may be subjected to extreme and potentially hazardous heat. Even without passengers or police dogs in the vehicle, an engine stall of an unattended police vehicle causes a substantial power drain upon the vehicle battery system when the emergency lights are operating. Sufficient battery drain may leave the vehicle unable to restart putting the vehicle out of service.
Thus, while police departments and other agencies continue to require such patrol vehicles or other similarly equipped vehicles, substantial problems arise in the cost of conversion, the maintenance of converted vehicles and the safe operation of such vehicles in their use. There remains therefore a need in the art for an improved control and interface system for emergency vehicles which renders installation and customization as well as maintenance more cost effective in such vehicles while providing a maximum level of security and safety for vehicle occupants during their use in the field.